Colorín, colorado, este cuento se ha acabado.. desde que llego Pizzi Chile no juega a nada.. volvimos a los tiempos del Pelao Acosta... Ojla que Pizzi no dure mucho.. Si Chile va al mundial va a pasar una verguenza.. a ratoniar nomas... que nos estan goleando...
I have no bad words to say about this generation after what they gave us. If they are too old to make it so be it. Thanks for everything. Having said that, I still think they can make it, but it will be via the old way. Calculator in hand and depending on other results.
Well, Chile's campaign is heading one way. Started well with the Brazil win at home and Peru away. Since they didn't quite get the home win against Colombia, things got worse from there. But, you got the sense they were a little unlucky. Uruguay 3-0 Chile, in match 4, was actually a (relatively) more even game than the score suggests. Lost at home to Argentina, no disgrace, could have been a draw on another day, beat Venezuela away in match 6. The last round of matches Chile were actually only very slightly below par, match 7 away to Paraguay they had a slow start, let in two early goals, for the rest of the match (most of it) they were the superior side, just not enough attacking power to break down a team sitting back at 2-0 up with home advantage. Bolivia at home, Chile were clearly the better side as well, deserved to win that 1-0 or 2-0, just missed chances, didn't happen. Those last two matches replay them both again the next week and Chile would likely have had 4 or 6 points. Still, I think Chile are in theory one of the top two sides in South America. If we restart the qualifiers tomorrow, and reset the table to zero points, I'd easily back them to qualify. Today feels different though. They are all over the place in defence. This is the worst defensive performance I can remember from Chile in quite a while, years maybe, holes all over the place. 3-0 feels a fair reflection so far. There are a fair number of easier, winnable games for the Chile in the second half of matches, but they are leaving a lot to do now. Potentially, I wouldn't be surprised if it came down to having to beat Brazil away in the last match to qualify or get into the playoff. Somewhere along the line they need to get a big result to make up for the poor ones, and I don't see them beating Argentina away. I think if Argentina are missing a few key players and Chile are at full strength it's more doable, but realistically no. But Brazil away, they would have to ignore the psychological fact that they are playing in Brazil against the yellow shirts in front of a big, noisy crowd, remind themselves that their players are capable of beating Brazil, having been only the width of a crossbar away in the past. We saw the Mexico 7-0 that just when they had been playing weak they suddenly showed their best side, somewhere along the line they are going to need a vintage performance again.
They are not too old. After 2018 sure, but not now. They are closer to peak age than too old. 2018 is a year that then can still deliver something if they get there. But they are really cutting it fine now. Just a draw at home to Peru in the next match and they have had it. Cannot afford a bad result for a while now.
Why are Ecuador playing at 4pm? I looked at the list of qualifiers and Ecuador and Bolivia quite often play at 4pm? the stadium is half empty.
Speaking about this game, from the first minutes you could see that both full backs weren't going up all the way to prevent ecuaror's fast wingers from breaking and centering. That obviously wasn't working. In the first half, they did what they wanted through both sides, made very dangerous crosses and also scored. The middle was non-existant and the whole team was not percise. My question is: why keep playing that shape? Why not attempt to frustrate the opposition instead of getting outplayed and frustrating ourselves? Pizzi had a plan which didn't work. He saw the evidence of his failure, yet refused to make changes. Being the game that it was, he should have put another DM, and have the fullbacks mark the wingers in an agressive manner. It was evident from the first 10 minutes that playing the same way he was, we weren't gonna see any points.
I think the game plan that they started with didn't work, true. But by the time they were 1-0, 2-0 down it was too late to make some changes perhaps to make the defence more solid. At that point they were going to have to take more risks going forward. The real mistake is perhaps the defence looked a nightmare right from the start, rather than a failure to adapt. They need to start more defensively away from home, get the tactics sorted, and then feel into the game, and go more attacking from there perhaps. They keep letting in early goals in away matches. The minutes of the goals they have conceded away from home. Peru: 10, 36, 92. Uruguay 23, 61, 65. Venezuela 9. Paraguay 6, 9. Ecuador 19, 23, 56. Let in very early goals in 3 of the matches (first 10 min), and fairly early (first 25 min) in all 5. 8 away goals conceded in first half, 4 in second half. Usually football matches tend to have more goals scored in the second half.
Part of this is due to the fact that the team was without Medel. In my view, he is the team's most valuable player. The backline just isn't the same without the guy. As I said in a previous post, I think that the loss indicates where Chile is right now: well below other teams in this region. On the positive side, I think that the last three results (Paraguay, Bolivia & Ecuador) were necessary. They revealed some serious issues, and have demonstrated that the team needs to get back to basics.
To be fair, I think Ecuador played well. The home team pressed a lot. At the same time, I agree with your points. The team has to show something; anything. They couldn't press, couldn't close the lines, and the midfield was really terrible too. Pizzi has to take responsibility for the second half performance, in particular; no evident improvement.
Yes, I thought that about Medel, I was just about to make the same point. I'm not as convinced about Medel as a footballer when it comes to technique or pace, but today, by his absence, he demonstrated his value to me more than he ever has. Without him, the organization and marking was shot, Ecuador's players had so much space, even inside the penalty area, on multiple occasions. Silva as well was absent today, that might have also been a factor. I'm not saying Ecuador's win was due to the two players out, they were superior today, so it's just a case that at least the match would have been closer. I think Chile is a very good team, but they need all or virtually all of the core of about 7 or 8 very good players. When 1 or 2 of them are out, the replacements, the strength in depth is just not there in a way it would be for someone like say Spain or Argentina, and the team suffers. Chile is not well below the other teams in this region though just because Bolivia hang on for a lucky draw and they happened to lose a couple of away matches against half decent teams. It's always been hard to get away results in this region. They have got plenty of home games left, and winnable ones, they have already played Brazil, Argentina, and Colombia at home, so they should be capable of winning most of the home matches they have left like Peru, Venezuela for instance. I'd predict Chile will get as many or more points as the likes of Paraguay, Ecuador, Uruguay, Brazil, and Colombia from here to the finish - just doubtful whether it'll be enough to catch up. They haven't suddenly become a bad team. They need to look at the tactics, get some belief back, start games more steadily, get a little luck with not having injuries, it's not over yet.
Yo exculpo a Pizzi y traspaso toda la culpa a los jugadores por un sinfín de razones. La primera de ellas es que están claramente agrandados y andan refregando la copa de cartón a todo el mundo. No veo a Alemania recordandole al mundo que son los mejores en este deporte, ellos simplemente compiten. Con asombro miro como Canadá en hockey afronta cada torneo con humildad, a pesar de que sus hinchas son insufribles, porque saben que pueden perder si no entran enfocados. O Nueva Zelanda en rugby, justo lo que no tiene Chile que no sabe competir y habla demasiado. Para seguir con el tema futbolistas, estos no ponen de su parte. Por ejemplo, en lugar de ir a competencias de nivel, deciden volver a nuestro fútbol de mierda mediocre. Ahí tienen a Jara (rechaza ir a Boca), Bosellur, Castillo, quien se cree la gran huevada por hacer goles en Chile pero no tuvo el fútbol ni los huevos para rendir en la liga belga. El salvador Valdivia prefiero seguir muriendo en vida con los camellos cuando podría estar en Brasil. Vargas que no hizo nada por salir de Hoffenheim en busca de minutos; Roco de titular en la mejor liga del mundo a retroceder con Cruz Azul. Así podría seguir todo el día, incluso mencionar a Bravo, quien no soportó la presión en Barcelona por la comodidad del City, donde se puede pegar la cagada que quiera y seguirá inamovible. La debacle de Chile es típica de un país que ha estado a punto de alcanzar el desarrollo, pero no lo logra porque se dispara solo en los zapatos. En el fútbol casi se dejó de ser mediocre, si no fuera porque no sabemos ganar, porque hay futbolistas, prensa e hinchas súper bocones. En este foro es posible ver algunos.
La Copa América es un torneíto. Yo de siempre he preferido clasificar a los mundiales aunque sea a pasear antes que obtener resultados en la mentada copa. It's all about the World Cup
Probably to gain max advantage from the altitude. Colombia does the same, they always ask to play early in Barranquilla so the heat can affect the opponents.
The warning sings were there after Paraguay. It was over when we lost 2 points at home against BOLIVIA. Everyone else will get 3 points from them at home. Ecuador was a hail-mary for something... we got nothing. In our next match we will beat Peru and people will drink the cool-aid and think we are back on track... but we are too far behind now. We would need an unprecedented and historic run to the final match against none other than Brazil... However I think we will be out before that match.
Castillo, marcaba en 1 de cada 3 partidos en la liga belga. Su drama comenzó cuando después se fue al Calcio y después a la Bundesliga, donde apenas jugó, sin marcar ningún gol.
I wouldn't be so fast with that one, as it seems that FIFA will punish Bolivia taking their points away from their 2 last matches, for playing an uneligible player, and giving us the win (the same as for Peru), despite that the complaint by our Federations came late (over 24 hours our match had finished). Seems that FIFA thinks that our federation excuses for not presenting the complaint before, are valid. FIFA sent Bolivia a 10 page document today demanding an explanation for their wrongdoing, that must be filed and answered by them before next thursday, after which FIFA will proceed. http://diariolongino.cl/archives/44020
It was a more of a case of a disorganized defence than a let down of individual errors like missing an open goal or doing a terrible back pass. So, for me, the manager has to take a fair share of the blame here.
Claramente este debe ser lejos uno de los peores partidsos de Chile en anos, desde la epoca de Acosta u Olmos. Y digamos que la sacamos barata. Jara y Mena horribles pasadizos los dos. Bravo se gano una amarilla estupida. Como digo alguien mas arriba, claramente andan agrandados por los dos titulos consecutivos. AL parecer Sampaoli tenia razon cuando decia que habia un relajo en el camarin. Pero ya la cosa se salio de control. PIzzi, hasta ahora solo le ha ganado a Venezuela en las eliminatoria, al colista.. SI no le ganamos a Peru, sencillamente adios Rusia 2018. Yo veo mas factible alcanzar o mas bien pelear por el repechaje. Pd: NO vale la pena hacer un analisis de uno por uno porque todos estuvieron horribles.
Interesting RickDog, I was not aware of that. What a dumb mistake by Bolivia. However looking at the specifics of the case including the fact that he only played one friendly match for Paraguay years ago, and only play a few minutes as a substitute in both matches, it would be pretty harsh to deduct the points and pretty lucky for Chile if they get awarded the win. I think a fairer punishment would be something gentler. Who knows what, getting creative: a fine, or ban the manager to the stand for one game, or maybe an adjustment to their goal difference rather than points.
P'a mí, el único que se salvó hoy, fue Roco (pero jugando casi solo atrás, no le pueden pedir milagros)
For FIFA, it is a very serious fault, that has no excuse. As it is the Federation of Bolivia's responsability to present at FIFA all the documentation related to the switch of nationality of the player, before playing him anywhere. So if they had done that before, it means that somewhere, they lied to FIFA (voluntarily or unvoluntarily). If it would have been an involuntary omission of info, it should have been Bolivia whom should've gone to FIFA with that info, first (they had plenty of time to do that, as the player even played at the Copa America Centenario, but they never said anything), and for FIFA it only became known to them, after our Federation presented the complaint.
Mano a mano entre Ecuador y Chile por el repechaje. El menos penca de los 2 lo obtiene. A esperar que Chile repunte y Ecuador no sume puntos que no están en los cálculos.